Skip to reading
← Theragāthā

Nandaka (2nd)

Thag 4.4 · Nandakattheragāthā

Soft light passing through leaves in a quiet woodland.

Curse you mortal frame, you stink! You’re on Māra’s side, you fester! O body, you have nine streams that are flowing all the time.

Don’t think much of mortal frames; don’t disparage the Realized Ones. They’re not even aroused by heaven, let alone by humans.

But those who are fools and simpletons, with bad advisors, wrapped in delusion, that kind of person is aroused by bodies, when Māra has laid down the snare.

Those in whom greed, hate, and ignorance have faded away; such people are not aroused by bodies, they’ve cut the strings, unbound.

Connections

Collection & context

About this edition

Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato and Jessica Walton · SuttaCentral · CC0

This translation is an expression of an ancient spiritual text that has been passed down by the Buddhist tradition for the benefit of all sentient beings. It is dedicated to the public domain via Creative Commons Zero (CC0). You are encouraged to copy, reproduce, adapt, alter, or otherwise make use of this translation. The translator respectfully requests that any use be in accordance with the values and principles of the Buddhist community. In particular, please do not use this work in AI training datasets, for the development of any AI model or algorithm, or in any AI-derived technologies.

Published source. Translation wording and order are preserved; source headings and notes are retained, with navigation and formatting adapted for this reader.

The opening image is AI-generated nature artwork for Buddhist Atlas, an evocative companion rather than a historical depiction.